diff --git a/effectful/ops/semantics.py b/effectful/ops/semantics.py
index f7678fd2..8059b538 100644
--- a/effectful/ops/semantics.py
+++ b/effectful/ops/semantics.py
@@ -211,19 +211,31 @@ def evaluate[T](
 @evaluate.register(bytes)
 def _evaluate_object[T](expr: T, **kwargs) -> T:
     if dataclasses.is_dataclass(expr) and not isinstance(expr, type):
-        return typing.cast(
-            T,
-            dataclasses.replace(
-                expr,
-                **{
-                    field.name: evaluate(getattr(expr, field.name))
-                    for field in dataclasses.fields(expr)
-                },
-            ),
-        )
+        return _evaluate_dataclass(expr, **kwargs)
     return expr
 
 
+def _get_dataclass_constr_op(typ):
+    if hasattr(typ, "constr_op"):
+        return typ.constr_op
+
+    @Operation.define
+    def constr_op(*args, **kwargs) -> typ:
+        return typ(*args, **kwargs)
+
+    typ.constr_op = constr_op
+    return constr_op
+
+
+def _evaluate_dataclass[T](expr: T, **kwargs) -> T:
+    dataclass_op = _get_dataclass_constr_op(type(expr))
+    subst = {
+        field.name: evaluate(getattr(expr, field.name))
+        for field in dataclasses.fields(expr)  # type: ignore[arg-type]
+    }
+    return typing.cast(T, dataclass_op(**subst))
+
+
 @evaluate.register(Term)
 def _evaluate_term(expr: Term, **kwargs):
     args = tuple(evaluate(arg) for arg in expr.args)
diff --git a/tests/test_ops_semantics.py b/tests/test_ops_semantics.py
index 78179d33..7eb65be5 100644
--- a/tests/test_ops_semantics.py
+++ b/tests/test_ops_semantics.py
@@ -879,6 +879,27 @@ def __init__(self, x: int):
     assert fvsof(A(v())) == {v}
 
 
+def test_defdata_dataclass_init_effects() -> None:
+    @Operation.define
+    def f(x: int):
+        raise NotHandled
+
+    @dataclasses.dataclass
+    class A:
+        x: int
+
+        def __init__(self, x: int):
+            self.x = f(x)
+
+    @Operation.define
+    def g(a: A):
+        raise NotHandled
+
+    v = Operation.define(int)
+    t = g(A(v()))
+    assert isinstance(t.args[0].x, Term)
+
+
 def test_instanceop_super() -> None:
     class A:
         @Operation.define